Blue Trust Inc. Boosts Stock Holdings in Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP)

Blue Trust Inc. grew its stake in shares of Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) by 37.8% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 11,188 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after buying an additional 3,067 shares during the quarter. Blue Trust Inc.’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $2,758,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in UNP. World Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in Union Pacific by 103.1% during the third quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 35,581 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $8,770,000 after acquiring an additional 18,060 shares during the last quarter. Peoples Bank KS purchased a new position in Union Pacific in the third quarter valued at approximately $834,000. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in Union Pacific by 2.8% during the fourth quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 179,925 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $44,348,000 after buying an additional 4,939 shares in the last quarter. Maj Invest Holding A S grew its stake in Union Pacific by 0.3% during the third quarter. Maj Invest Holding A S now owns 676,098 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $166,645,000 after buying an additional 2,202 shares during the period. Finally, Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd increased its position in shares of Union Pacific by 24.2% in the fourth quarter. Border to Coast Pensions Partnership Ltd now owns 277,267 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $63,185,000 after acquiring an additional 53,946 shares in the last quarter. 80.38% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on UNP shares. Sanford C. Bernstein reduced their target price on shares of Union Pacific from $277.00 to $272.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. Benchmark upped their target price on Union Pacific from $266.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on Union Pacific from $263.00 to $252.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 25th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 1st. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of Union Pacific from $288.00 to $283.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $263.30.

Union Pacific Stock Performance

Shares of UNP opened at $254.19 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $154.10 billion, a PE ratio of 23.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.06. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $234.05 and its 200 day moving average price is $239.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 0.77 and a quick ratio of 0.63. Union Pacific Co. has a 12-month low of $218.55 and a 12-month high of $258.66.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 23rd. The railroad operator reported $2.91 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.76 by $0.15. Union Pacific had a net margin of 27.33% and a return on equity of 41.79%. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.71 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Union Pacific Co. will post 10.96 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, December 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 9th were issued a dividend of $1.34 per share. This represents a $5.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.11%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, December 9th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 49.22%.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States. The company offers transportation services for grain and grain products, fertilizers, food and refrigerated products, and coal and renewables to grain processors, animal feeders, ethanol producers, renewable biofuel producers, and other agricultural users; and construction products, industrial chemicals, plastics, forest products, specialized products, metals and ores, petroleum, liquid petroleum gases, soda ash, and sand, as well as finished automobiles, automotive parts, and merchandise in intermodal containers.